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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Not many people know this, but for all the work that it takes to keep my studio, drawings, emails, and expenses up-to-snuff, I have a secretary. He is actually a retired professor named Professor Boddington. I thought at first that a professor would be a great help to me and my work. Instead, he's actually a huge hindrance. Professor Boddington is always yapping when I need quiet time. He never answers emails or the phone and he doesn't send out invoices correctly. And now, he's taking a month-long vacation which he claims is paid because its "good for his arthritis." So he's out galavanting in India right now!!!!! On my dime!!!!!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I was very fortunate as a kid to grow up with Washington Crossing State park right behind my back yard. In hindsight, I did not take full advantage of the park (I was not a huge outdoor kid). I think only until moving out for college, I've begun to appreciate the scenery and nature the park was full of more. The sound of Canadian geese especially. Crickets at night. Lots of trees. It's funny how you don't appreciate something until it's removed from you. It may be the springtime in me that's talking right now. Appreciating being able to be outside more again!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

I've been itching to get the story written out so I can start sketching and drawing! So I made these to practice more drawing. I still can't decide to draw the characters in brush or pen. It's always been a question for me whether to use a brush or a pen to draw. Though the drawings come out mostly looking the same, there are very subtle nuances between the way I use a brush and a pen which can make or break a drawing for me. For most drawings now, I use them interchangeably.

I've also been wondering about the relationship between Felix and Jenny. When reading children books that I've enjoyed, I've looked at characterization. What makes them work? It makes me reflect upon an article that Al Capp of "Li'l Abner" fame wrote once. He said to study Dickens for their fully realized (or exaggerated) characters.

Though he wrote numerous novels (which one day I hope to read all), Dickens uses the same characters for each novel. The protagonists from David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, and Great Expectations were always good-natured humans when ample amounts of affection and love. You can't help but like them. Then there's the angelic feminine creature that is always a moral compass. Then the expressive antagonists that enjoy their evil nature like Uriah Heep, Miss Havesham, and Fagin. Coming back to childrens book, I've noticed that the authors like Roald Dahl, Norton Juster, Lemony Snicket, and JK Rowling have developed their characters the same way. That's what makes the characters so colorful and pop!

Back to my story, if Felix is the protagonist of the story, he'd have to be good natured and likable. But how to describe the relationship between him and Jenny? Surely they'd be best friends. But how? This is where character sheets would help further define how they would act together. I've rambled on enough for now.